Steering wheel vibration

[sunil6784]

This question is actually about my 94 Explorer. First, it has a bad vibration around 65 mph, that you can feel in the whole car. It feels like its coming from the passenger side front. Also, I'm not sure if its related or not, but at any speed, from 30 mph up, when you crank the wheel back and forth, you can feel something funny. Hard to describe, but almost like something is loose. If you are cranking the wheel back and forth, left-right-left, it feels like something is rattling around when you change direction from left to right. Trying to be as descriptive as possible. I'm going to pull off the wheel today and see if I can see anythinng out of the ordinary. any ideas of what to look for ? Thanks guys.

 

[dec322]

I had a 94 explorer for 5 years and had the same problem with vibration at 65 mph the entire time I owned the vehicle. I searched the forums at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/ and found that it was a common thing with no real fix. It would feel fine until around 65 to 70....once I passed that speed it would feel smooth again. To fix it I just went slower than the posted limit of 70 mph or faster than 70 mph.....depending on gas prices and where I was going.

 

[sunil6784]

How bout the feeling of something being loose that you get in the steering wheel, like something is clanking around? Do you nkow if that is common too ?

 

[dec322]

I never had that problem. Sorry.

 

[foxstang9050]

Have you had your tires balanced lately???

 

[sunil6784]

No, i will be doing that tomorrow. I figure that might be contributing to part of the vibration, but I dont think that has anything to do with the "clunk" i feel in the steering

 

[bill302]

have you checked your tie-rod ends...same exact thing happened to me with a ford winstar bad pass.side tie-rod end i replaced it and had a front end alignment and problem was solved...

 

[dec322]

Maybe it could be a radius arm bushing. They go out regularly on the early explorers and result in a clunking type noise, usually when the brakes are applied. Maybe if the bushing is worn, the metal would move around alot, causing a rattling sound.

 

[ponyboy19]

If you can't figure it out, take it to a mechanic. IMO anything to do with the front end and steering is a safety issue that needs diagnosed. Good luck